Electronic components often utilize one or more pins to facilitate an electrical connection. Some pins are designed to accommodate repeated connections and disconnections as electronic components are interchanged, such as in an electronic test station with a circuit card assembly. Due to repeated use, pin contacts can wear out necessitating replacement or repair of some pins. Accordingly, removal tools and compatible pins have been designed to provide for easy removal of the pins, which facilitates repair of the pin contacts and reuse of the pins without damaging the pins upon removal. However, some pins have been designed to be destructively removed, in that the pins include no features that facilitate removal without deformation of the pins. Such pins are typically removed with pliers or other gripping or clamping tools that can pull and twist the pins for removal. The old pins are then replaced with new pins since the old pins have been deformed beyond repair upon removal.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.